At the Honglu Temple.
Fan Li leaned against the railing, gazing into the distance where the Weiyang Palace was brightly lit with lanterns.
"Fuck, I kind of want to go check out the commotion," he muttered to himself.
"Hehehe...would Duke Jin like me to accompany him?" There was someone else in Fan Li's room - it was actually Princess Chang Le.
He couldn't help but roll his eyes. "What is the Han Emperor thinking? You're quite a formidable fighter yourself, why are you staying with me?"
On the night of the decisive battle, shouldn't they be putting all their cards on the table?
Although Princess Chang Le's cultivation realm was limited due to her youth, she was a precocious beauty who had mastered who knows how many secret techniques from the Pure Land. She could very well lend her strength at the critical moment.
"Aiya, I'm pregnant."
Hearing Princess Chang Le's ridiculous words, Fan Li could only roll his eyes again.
What a shame!
He had no actual adulterous affair, yet bore the reputation of an adulterer. He couldn't help but glance at Princess Chang Le's slender waist, imagining what she would look like pregnant with a bulging belly.
"How about it? Does the Marquis of Jin want a child now?" Princess Chang Le seemed to see right through his thoughts, smiling coyly. "If my father emerges victorious tonight, you can have your way with me, how's that?"
However, Fan Li was no longer in the mood for jokes. His tone grew solemn. "Can you foresee tonight's outcome of victory or defeat?"
In truth, Fan Li had no confidence in the Han Emperor's chances. Liu Xie's character was weak, and his cultivation realm was beneath Dong Zhuo's.
Hazily, Fan Li recalled the scene from the Three Emperors Alliance where Liu Xie suffered a devastating defeat at Zhu Houcong's hands.
That shocking and formidable "Myriad Thunder True Dragon Slash" - Liu Xie could not even fully unleash it. He was too weak.
The Han Emperor Liu Xie was an uncommonly weak ruler seldom seen in a century.
"Dong Zhuo left the Chancellery half an incense stick ago. Calculating the time, he should have arrived at the Weiyang Palace by now," Fan Li murmured as if speaking to himself.
"Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan have all gone to marshal their private troops. But the Xiliang soldiers have also started moving. Lü Bu, Hua Xiong, Li Jue, Guo...they're all very powerful."
Fan Li fell silent. He suddenly realized he might just be stating the obvious.
Princess Chang Le would likely know the power dynamics within Chang'an even better than him.
Fan Li was left with only a lingering curiosity. Did this extraordinary woman, who harbored ambitions of becoming an empress, care about the life-or-death battle facing her own father?
"As the old saying goes, 'The imperial family is most devoid of sentiment'..."
Just as Fan Li was pondering this, Princess Chang Le's lithe body gently leaned against him.
"My father is a descendant of the Great Ancestor. He will surely be victorious," the Princess declared with an unimagined firmness in her voice!
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
A tremendous roar, as if the heavens were crumbling, came from the direction of the Weiyang Palace, accompanied by an enraged bellow!
"Traitorous subject Dong Zhuo, you have caused chaos in the court! I am the Son of Heaven of this Great Han! Today, I will personally execute this traitor with my own hands!"
A burst of yellow air shot straight into the sky. Amidst the thunderclaps and lightning flashes, one could almost see a roaring dragon manifesting, brimming with martial spirit!
The citizens of Chang'an, who had taken to the streets to celebrate, were stunned by the sudden upheaval. In the next moment, they screamed and wailed as they fled back to their homes.
"Wahahahahahaha!!!!!"
"The celestial mandate of the Han dynasty has run its course! The muddled ruler Liu Xie has meager virtue and scant merit - he is unworthy of the grand throne! Today, I shall overthrow the dynasty and reign supreme over the realm!"
Black air shot into the sky, carrying a bloody, foul stench. But to the naked eye, this black air actually coalesced into the form of a vicious, horrifying dragon.
"Dong Zhuo...does he also possess the mandate of an emperor?" Fan Li frowned, his face filled with bewilderment.
He had never witnessed the cultivation method of the Devouring Demon Technique, but at this moment, black air permeated the entire city of Chang'an, emanating a thick, foul odor.
Fan Li practically suspected he was standing in the middle of a chaotic graveyard. "The Han Emperor's aura is weaker than Dong Zhuo's."
Even with Fan Li's vision, he could see that the yellow dragon was being suppressed by the black dragon. The disparity between them was not insignificant.
The black dragon attacked ferociously, as if the entire city of Chang'an was its home territory.
The yellow dragon hid within the crevices of the black air, only engaging in skirmishes and not daring to clash head-on with the black dragon.
Fan Li shot a puzzled look at Princess Chang Le.
"You really aren't going to help? The Han Emperor may not be able to hold out much longer."
Princess Chang Le wore a faint smile, but remained silent. Her phoenix-like eyes were fixed on the two battling dragon auras in the distant sky.
The Princess appeared relaxed, leaning on Fan Li's shoulder as if casually admiring the scenery in a garden.
But Fan Li could still clearly sense that she unconsciously tightened her grip on his arm, her strength gradually increasing.
At that moment, in the Weiyang Palace.
The Han Emperor Liu Xie's hair was disheveled, his heaven-reaching crown lost who knows when, his appearance in utter disarray. His imperial dragon robe was soaked in blood, a gash across his forehead that had torn away much flesh.
"Pah!" he spat.
Across from him in mid-air, Dong Zhuo, clad entirely in black robes, grinned ferociously.
Yet compared to the Emperor's state, he appeared much more composed - his attire neat and proper, with only a sword wound on his right arm.
"The Imperial Sword of Qin? Hahahahaha!"
Dong Zhuo's grating laughter echoed through Chang'an.
"Indeed, it is a divine weapon! To think it could pierce through this body of mine, tempered by the demon arts! Was that your final trump card? Pity, far from enough!"
Once I've devoured you, the Imperial Sword of Qin shall become this old man's weapon for founding a new dynasty...Hm!?"
Suddenly, a sword form condensed from surging energy slashed out from the crowd in the plaza, striking Dong Zhuo directly!
"Hmph!" Dong Zhuo's icy gaze fell upon that person.
He remained completely unharmed, as he had seen through the meager force behind that strike long ago.
"Huangfu Song? You dare rebel?" Dong Zhuo recognized the man and growled through gritted teeth.
"You are not my lord, nor am I your subject. How can this be called rebellion?" From the crowd, an elderly minister levitated into the air.
Though already quite aged, he still shielded the Han Emperor Liu Xie, glaring defiantly at Dong Zhuo!
"The Marquis of the capital of Han Dynasty, the Grand Clerk to the Heir Apparent Huangfu Song, is willing to fight for His Majesty and eliminate this traitor!"
Seemingly inspired by Huangfu Song's actions, more Han ministers stepped forward. Disregarding life and death, they loyally protected their sovereign!
"The District Duke of Huxiang of Han Dynasty, Grand Commander Zhang Wen, vows to loyally serve His Majesty unto death!"
"The Baron of Hanliang, Minister over the Masses Lu Zhi, vows to loyally serve His Majesty unto death!"
"..."
"Hahahahaha!" Dong Zhuo burst into raucous laughter, pointing mockingly at the group of elderly Han ministers. "You lot? You dare contest with this old man?"
The Han ministers remained silent, yet did not retreat a single step.
"Lü Bu!"
"Hua Xiong!"
"Li Jue!"
"Guo Si!"
"Where are my valiant Xiliang warriors?"
Dong Zhuo's voice boomed like thunder. Even from the distant Honglu Temple, Fan Li could feel the tremors shaking the buildings.
"We're here!"
"Your humble servants are present!"
From the four gates of Chang'an came the responses of Lü Bu and the others, accompanied by shrieks and maniacal laughter.
The faces of the Han ministers grew even graver. They all knew - the ferocious Xiliang troops had finally arrived!
This vicious army came like a raging flood, leaving behind a trail of ruined buildings wherever they passed, inflicting 'scars' upon the prosperous city of Chang'an.
It seemed the Xiliang troops were about to charge straight to the gates of the Weiyang Palace.
Suddenly, three figures flew in from afar like an impregnable bronze wall, blocking the Xiliang troops' advance.
"Lord Minister of the Masses Cao Cao, willing to fight for His Majesty."
"Today, with Liu Bei present, I shall not permit you fiends to advance another step."
"Xiliang troops? Compared to my men from Jiangdong, who knows which side is truly stronger?"